[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4621 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4621

   To improve the environmental review process for highway projects 
through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 2023

 Mr. Johnson of South Dakota (for himself and Mr. Stanton) introduced 
      the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                   Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To improve the environmental review process for highway projects 
through the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Interactive Federal Review Act''.

SEC. 2. DIGITAL PLATFORMS FOR NEPA REVIEWS FOR HIGHWAY PROJECTS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered project.--The term ``covered project'' means a 
        highway project that received a grant under any of the 
        following:
                    (A) The nationally significant freight and highway 
                projects program under section 117 of title 23, United 
                States Code (commonly known as the ``Infrastructure for 
                Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program'').
                    (B) The national infrastructure project assistance 
                program under section 6701 of title 49, United States 
                Code (commonly known as the ``Mega grant program'').
                    (C) The local and regional project assistance 
                program under section 6702 of title 49, United States 
                Code (commonly known as the ``Rebuilding American 
                Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) 
                grant program'').
                    (D) The program for national infrastructure 
                investments (commonly known as the ``Rebuilding 
                American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity 
                (RAISE) grant program'' and formerly known as the 
                ``Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development 
                (BUILD) grant program'').
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to expedite the environmental review process at Federal 
        agencies and for the general public; and
            (2) to facilitate interactive public stakeholder engagement 
        and understanding of environmental impacts of projects under 
        the Federal-aid highway system.
    (c) Encouraged Use of Digital Platforms.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall encourage recipients 
        of Federal funds from the Secretary to utilize interactive, 
        digital, cloud-based platforms when carrying out environmental 
        reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
        U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) by publishing the guidance described in 
        paragraph (2).
            (2) Guidance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish technology-
        neutral best practice guidance to encourage sponsors of 
        projects that receive Federal funds from the Secretary to use 
        an interactive, digital, cloud-based platform in carrying out 
        the environmental impact analysis and community engagement 
        processes required under the National Environmental Policy Act 
        of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
    (d) Use of Digital Platforms in Covered Projects.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall select not less than 
        10 covered projects to demonstrate the use of interactive, 
        digital, cloud-based platforms in carrying out the 
        environmental impact analysis and community engagement 
        processes required under that Act, which may include projects 
        in States participating in the surface transportation project 
        delivery program under section 327 of title 23, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Additional projects.--In addition to the covered 
        projects selected by the Secretary under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall include additional projects that utilize 
        interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms in the report under 
        subsection (e), on request of the sponsors of those projects.
            (3) Priority.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
        in selecting covered projects under a program described in 
        subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection (a)(1), the 
        Secretary shall give priority to applications for projects that 
        demonstrate a plan to implement an interactive, cloud-based 
        platform to carry out the environmental impact analysis and 
        community engagement processes required under the National 
        Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
    (e) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the efficacy of using interactive, 
        cloud-based platforms in carrying out environmental impact 
        analysis and community engagement requirements under the 
        National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
        seq.), including--
                    (A) metrics that describe estimates of achieved 
                efficiencies, community engagement measures, and 
                efficiencies enjoyed across Federal agencies; and
                    (B) examples of digital workflows enabled.
            (2) Publication of examples.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish 
        on the website of the Department of Transportation, and submit 
        to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate 
        and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
        House of Representatives, not less than 5 examples of an 
        environmental impact statement, environmental assessment, or 
        categorical exclusion document developed using an interactive, 
        digital, cloud-based platform.
    (f) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section affects or 
interferes with the authorities or responsibilities assumed by a State 
under section 327 of title 23, United States Code.
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